Winrina Jiminjeong One Shots (Aespa)

Only One (Part 3)

Karina's P.O.V (1 week later)

"Okay, relax! Be yourself. She asked you to go with her. She could have asked anyone but she chose you. That's a good sign, right?"

Breathing in a deep breath, I glanced in the mirror for the 100th time that afternoon preparing to meet Winter who'd be arriving any minute.

I'd assumed a quick pep talk would help settle my nerves which seemed to growing by the second. I never really cared for dates in the past, the feelings were generally over before they began but this was... different.

"Are you talking to yourself again?" Horrified, I glanced at my bedroom door to find Giselle leaning against the door frame, smirking with her arms crossed.

"Giselle, get out!" Throwing a pillow in her direction, she quickly ducked before chuckling and wandering in to sit on my bed.

"Calm down Rina, I'm just here to wish you good luck on your big date."

"It's not a date." I stated bluntly, attempting to convince myself more so than her.

"Really? You're going with the girl of your dreams to her best friend's birthday as her one and only plus one. You've spent all day getting ready, wearing your most expensive perfume and have... doodled Winter's name all over your sketchpad?" She smiled in amusement at the book placed messily on my desk before I snatched it away to hide under a pile of papers.

"Gimme that! It's not a date, she asked me to go if I wanted to tonight and we just happen to be going at the same time."

"Well I'm going to Ning Ning's party and Winter didn't ask me to be her plus one."

"Why would she ask you? That's just stupid..." I muttered, dismayed by the mere thought.

"Okay, offense taken!" She faked a hurt expression as I just rolled my eyes, brushing my hair.

"It's okay to be a little excited, Rina. I know how much you like her."

I paused in hesitation, glancing at myself once more in the mirror. A chance to spend time with Winter was all I'd wanted for so long. "I do, it just makes sense. It never makes sense with anyone else."

Standing beside me, Giselle patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Then relax, get to know her and have fun. Trust that she won't hurt you because I know she won't."

It's true I'd been hurt in the past, I'd lost family and friends more times than I could recall. It had played on my mind so long that I'd always felt inadaquate ever since. Perhaps I'd lost any sense of hope. Relationships too were always so complicated. Surely that wasn't what love was supposed to feel like? Over time I'd assumed I was the problem and, in that knowledge, I distanced myself from everyone, hoping things would magically resolve themselves but they never did.

That was until I met Winter and things changed. It was comfortable, exciting and I felt genuinely happy. Strange really, when I was still learning about her. Nevertheless, I suppose it a restored sense of hope in an otherwise bleak world but I shyed at every opportunity for fear that it wouldn't last, assuming she'd never feel the same way.